Syrian troops break rebel siege of Aleppo central prison

"Syrian troops, over the past few days, have unleashed a wide-scale offensive to secure the prison's vicinity and break the rebel siege."

Damascas, May 22 - Syrian troops have broken a year-long rebel siege of the central prison in the country's northern city of Aleppo, Xinhua quoted a senior military source as saying Thursday.

Government troops have succeeded to break the siege, which has been imposed by rebels for more than a year, during which the armed militants made repeated attempts to storm the sprawling facility, where more than 4,000 inmates are incarcerated.

Syrian troops managed to enter the prison and it's fully under their control, the source said.

The end of the siege marks a major victory for the government due to the prison's strategic location.

It overlooks the main rebel supply line that connects areas near the Turkish border with the eastern part of Aleppo, which is still under rebel control, Xinhua reported.

Government troops control the western part of Aleppo, once the economic hub of Syria.

Syrian troops, over the past few days, have unleashed a wide-scale offensive to secure the prison's vicinity and break the rebel siege.

Aleppo, Syria's largest city, has emerged as a main battlefield since rebels vowed to liberate it from government forces in June 2012.

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